


Of Cuddling and Dwarves

by lilithiumwords



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Excessive Cuddling, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-07
Updated: 2013-01-07
Packaged: 2017-11-24 00:52:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/628421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithiumwords/pseuds/lilithiumwords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo gets lonely at night, and after too much whining, Thorin decrees that Bilbo will spend the nights sleeping beside Dwarves. Thus, five times Bilbo asks for a cuddle, and one time someone asks him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Night: Bofur

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt](http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/702.html?thread=61118#t61118) at the Hobbit Kink Meme.

Bilbo stood at beside the entrance to their little cave and fretted. The wind howled and swore outside, but it did not invade their camp, giving the company some respite from the summer storm that raged outside. The Dwarves were huddled by the fire, jolly as they passed around stew and pipeweed, but Bilbo could not take part in their general good spirits.

He was very tired. It was the sixth night of their journey, and Bilbo had barely slept, completely unused to this kind of travel. Hobbits rarely traveled anyway, and when they did, they slept at relatives' houses, in comfy inns, or with lovely tents that kept out the rain and cold -- and always, they slept beside each other, never far from a cousin or sibling for cuddling and tickle fights. Given that he had not traveled properly in years -- and had not actually felt the urge to camp out since he was but a tween -- Bilbo was ill-prepared for this journey. The old bedroll he had pulled out from one of his wardrobes was soft but lumpy; his clothes were his only blankets; and no tent kept the rain from soaking him completely. He didn't even have a pillow!

The Dwarves seemed very used to this type of travel. As soon as they laid down, they were out like a candle, snoring with such keen energy that Bilbo worried that passing predators might hear them and come looking. Bilbo felt jealousy toward their easy ability to sleep anywhere, whether it be hard rock of a cave or the lumpy ground of the woods. They were used to roaming the world and camping out under the stars, but Bilbo was not! He missed his Hobbit bed and mattress, his warm fireplace that kept the chill out all night, his soft feather pillows that caressed his cheek every time he laid down to sleep...

Well, daydreaming about his bed of Bag-End did nothing but make him more tired, and he turned a sulky gaze on the Dwarves, who were laughing about something one of their company had done. Fili and Kili caught his gaze and grinned widely, beckoning him over.

"Bilbo!" Fili cried, grabbing a bowl of steaming stew from Bofur and holding it up. "Come to the fire where it is warm! You haven't eaten, and we know by now that a Hobbit dearly loves his food!"

"Yes! Come sit with us, Mister Baggins, and stop frowning at the storm! Glaring it down won't make it stop!" The two brothers chortled to each other, and Bilbo sighed, his sulky expression fading a bit. Fili and Kili reminded him of his cousins, with their cheer and constant teasing, and he got along with them the best somehow. With a wry but nervous smile, he went and sat between them, taking the bowl of stew which did smell quite good, now that he thought about it. Across the fire, Thorin eyed him with a faint sneer but said nothing.

The Dwarf brothers kept him distracted as he ate, telling him a story about their youth where they were fishing beside a waterfall and ran into a pack of wolves. Bilbo was both entranced and a bit horrified, but he ate his supper and asked many questions as he did every time one of the Dwarves or Gandalf told a story about the world he had not seen.

Soon, though, the stew was eaten and the dishes were cleaned, and sleepy Dwarves lumbered about the cave, finding spots to sleep with ease. Bilbo went to his pack and eyed them with a faint frown, wishing he could sleep as they did. He said nothing, though, only heaving a great sigh as he pulled out his bedroll.

Bofur, who was laying down his own bedroll a few feet away, noticed his sigh and looked over. "Is something the matter, Mister Baggins?" 

Bilbo blushed a bit and looked up, a bit of nervousness creeping into his mind. Bofur made him very nervous, though he knew the Dwarf meant no harm. "It is nothing, Master Bofur, I only... well, it is nothing."

Curiosity caught, Bofur raised his thick eyebrows and grinned. "Nothing does not make you sigh like a lass in love, Mister Baggins. Go on, tell me what's wrong. Do you miss someone from the Shire? A close friend, perhaps?"

Bilbo blushed more but gave the Dwarf a frown. "I don't have anyone like that back at home, if you must know! But I was only sighing because I am tired and perhaps a bit jealous! You Dwarves fall asleep so easily, but I am a creature of comfort, and I have barely slept on this journey. I daresay I will not sleep tonight, either, with this storm howling outside!"

Bofur looked taken aback by his response, but his grin widened and Bilbo felt a bit of despair. "Well, Mister Baggins, I am sorry to say that we cannot quell the storm tonight, but perhaps we can help you sleep! I myself like a good bedtime story, or a lovely song to soothe the mind. Oh, I have just the story, it starts when we met with a group of thieves outside the --"

"No no no!" Bilbo quickly cut Bofur off, anxious to avoid any story that might involve thieves or any other horrible creatures that might exist outside the Shire. Bofur had a way with words, but that way usually made Bilbo want to cry. "I don't need a story, but thank you! No, what I need is -- is, well -- what I need is another Hobbit! I am very jealous of you Dwarves, you know, you have your brothers and cousins and companions here, but I am alone! We Hobbits are always together, you know, and when we camp out, we sleep together, to ward off the cold! But I am very far from my kin, and I have no one to sleep beside, no one to cuddle with, no one who will give me comfort as you have! I am alone, here!"

Breathing heavily, Bilbo realized that he had begun shouting, and that Bofur was staring at him. He noticed that the cave was quiet, and Bilbo looked over to see that the rest of the Dwarves were staring as well, surprised by his upset. Bilbo immediately blushed and looked away, feeling shameful for shouting so.

"I, I am sorry --"

"No, Mister Baggins," Bofur said, a gentle look entering his eyes, "I am sorry. You are far from your kin after all, as you said. So Hobbits are the cuddling sort, then?"

"Well --"

Across the cave, Thorin cleared his throat and frowned at them, and Bilbo immediately quieted, wary of the tall Dwarf. "So if you had such a companion, you would not whine so, Halfling?" Thorin said, a hint of derision in his voice.

Bilbo frowned, but his back straightened a bit. "I am not whining, Master Oakenshield, but yes, I imagine I would sleep much better if I were --"

"Then let it be so," Thorin cut him off, sounding exasperated. "You have complained every day about how tired you are and how you miss your soft bed. If all you need to shut up is someone to sleep beside, then that is what should happen. Pick a Dwarf and go to bed."

The cave was silent as everyone stared at Thorin. Bilbo felt horrified. "What --"

"You heard me, Hobbit. If you are too tired to travel the next day, it will only slow us down, and I might remind you that we have a great deal of travel ahead of us. A sulking Hobbit is no one I want to share a Company with. Everyone will help, too, since forcing a Hobbit onto only one Dwarf is unfair, as you would say. Now, pick a Dwarf. We have no time for this conversation to go on any longer. Nori, you take first watch."

Immediately the other Dwarves began to complain and mutter, but Bilbo could only stare in shock. Ordered to sleep with one of the Dwarves? And he had not been whining, or sulking or anything that Thorin had accused him of, though perhaps he had told Fili and Kili about his exhaustion once or twice, and he couldn't not answer Gandalf's inquiry about his health the other day, and perhaps he had lamented a few times about his soft pillow to Balin, who was very understanding.

But this was humiliating. His face flushed red, Bilbo turned away and pushed his roll out, determined to be silent for the rest of the night. Maybe even the rest of the journey! He would show Thorin that he was not a sulking Hobbit all of the time.

A movement beside him caught his attention, and he saw Bofur push his bedroll into place next to Bilbo's. Catching Bilbo's horrified expression, Bofur just grinned. "Now you heard our leader, Mister Baggins. I don't mind a cuddle or two on the best of nights, and I do understand your plight, I really do. Come on, then, let's get some sleep."

Behind them Ori was snickering, and beyond the fire Fili and Kili stared, no doubt thinking them very odd. Bilbo saw Thorin watching them, and he gave Thorin a look, straightening. Well, he would not deny a companion, if it meant he could sleep better, even if it was Bofur. After Thorin looked away, shaking his head, Bilbo looked back at Bofur and summoned a small smile, grateful despite how humiliating this situation was. "Thank you, Master Bofur," he said quietly.

Bofur smiled back at him, and Bilbo felt a little more at ease. "You are quite welcome, Mister Baggins."

Despite the rest of the Dwarves chuckling or muttering about Thorin's decree, Bilbo sat down beside Bofur and prepared for sleep, laying his coat over his pack to serve as a pillow. Bofur laid down beside him, having finished his own preparations, and for a moment they both floundered. Bofur was not one of Bilbo's many cousins, and Bilbo was not Bofur's cousin or brother. They were a Dwarf and a Hobbit, two races that may have shared a similar size, but they were completely unlike each other in nearly every other way. 

But Bilbo discovered quickly that Bofur was warm, and despite his oddness he was companionable and kind. Then Bofur laid an arm over his waist, and Bilbo relaxed, resting against Bofur's chest and feeling at ease. Though he was used to living alone, he had missed this, sleeping beside someone, sharing their warmth and company. 

Bofur made a noise, and the arm tightened around him, which made Bilbo feel safer. He heard thunder outside, but it was muffled by the fur on Bofur's coat. Then Bofur began snoring softly, and the noise rumbled through Bilbo's chest, somehow soothing him despite previous nights, where the Dwarven snoring kept him awake for hours.

Just like that, Bilbo fell asleep, feeling just as warm and comfortable as he would sleeping in his own bed of Bag-End.


	2. The Second Night: Fili and Kili

The next morning dawned sunny and cheerful, and Bilbo woke unlike he had every other morning of his journey so far. He did not wake suddenly as someone clanged their axe against a stone, as he had the previous morning, but slowly, becoming aware of warmth all around him and a heavy arm across his waist. For a moment he wondered if he was sleeping over at the Took house with his cousins, but no -- he had not seen his cousins since the last birthday party, and they had not spent the night with each other in years, not since they were all much younger. 

A snore caught his attention, and he realized that he was with the Company of Dwarves, caught up in Bofur's arms. Last night, Bofur had graciously offered to sleep beside him under Thorin's decree, and somehow it had given Bilbo the sleep he sorely needed. He had slept through the entire night and dreamed of soft pillows, and the storm had not bothered him once!

He was profoundly thankful to Bofur for his kindness. Looking around, Bilbo realized that it was very early, just before sunrise, and that everybody in the company save Gloin was asleep. He had never woken before the others before! Usually he managed to fall asleep for a little while, only to be woken by a loud noise as everyone else rose for the day. Instead, today he had woken as he usually did at home, early and without feeling utterly drained. 

Bofur's arm was heavy, but somehow Bilbo was able to wriggle out from beside him, feeling refreshed for the first time in a week. The shame and embarrassment from last night was gone. He felt good enough even to make breakfast!

And so he began to relight the fire and put on a morning porridge, Gloin watching his movements with a snort but not saying anything. As the sun dawned over the horizon, the Dwarves woke to the smell of breakfast cooking and the soft sound of a Hobbit humming. Astonished, as Bilbo had not shown such cheer the entire time they had known him, they could only watch as he smiled and greeted each Dwarf upon waking. Bilbo's good mood was infectious, too; many of the Dwarves grinned back at him, and Fili and Kili were cheerful as they helped to pass around bowls of porridge, though Bilbo noticed that they watched him carefully.

Bofur walked up, and Bilbo beamed at him, handing him a bowl of porridge. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, Mister Baggins," Bofur said good-naturedly, grinning at him. "I see you took my job this morning!"

Bilbo smiled, his dimples showing a bit. "In thanks for last night. It was the best sleep I've had in quite a while! I feel very rested."

A few paces away, Gandalf hemmed and raised his thick, bushy eyebrows. "That is very thoughtful of you, Bilbo. Hobbits are quite helpful after a good night's rest, wouldn't you say?"

"Didn't realize they'd be so perky," muttered Dwalin as he passed by, and Bilbo flushed but smiled at Gandalf.

"I just enjoy a good morning as any other fellow, as you know. Bofur was very kind! It was just like cuddling with one of my cousins."

Bofur grinned beside them as he ate his porridge. "You are very nice for a cuddle, Mister Baggins. I did sleep quite soundly as well!"

One of the other Dwarves snorted, and across the cave Thorin was watching them. Bilbo could not read his expression, as was usual, but he ignored it and settled for giving Bofur another smile. Then he expressed his gratitude once more and went about to pack up his belongings.

The day passed as the previous days had, though the weather was much better than it had been before. Though he still missed his Hobbit hole, Bilbo was much more cheerful than he had been in the days before, asking many questions of Gandalf and Balin, while the other Dwarves told stories. He noticed that Fili and Kili were a little quiet toward him, but after a few hours they were cheerfully exchanging teasing remarks to him, though they never mentioned his upset from the night before. The other Dwarves teased both him and Bofur about it though, but Bofur was ambivalent toward their nudges and smirks, and so Bilbo paid it no mind. It wasn't as if they had done anything illicit!

That evening, they camped out in a clearing, which left Bilbo a little nervous, but the thought of cuddling beside Bofur again comforted him. Soon enough they were preparing for bed, and without a word Bofur dragged his bedroll out beside Bilbo's, the two exchanging small smiles. Bilbo caught Thorin staring at them, but he ignored him, choosing instead to curl up beside Bofur. With Bofur's heavy arm on his waist, pinning him down and keeping him safe, Bilbo fell asleep easily.

This continued for a few more nights, until one night when Bofur was given first watch shift. Bilbo was left a little flustered, wondering if Thorin meant to antagonize him, but logically he knew that Bofur would have to take a shift eventually. With a small sigh at the thought of foregoing the nice rest he had been getting, Bilbo laid out his bedroll and went to take care of his ablutions.

When he returned, he found two Dwarves sitting on a log beside his bedroll. The brothers Fili and Kili, unusually solemn, watched him with interest. Bilbo wondered if they meant to tease him again, as they usually did, or if they wanted to have a serious discussion.

"May I help you?" Bilbo asked, curious. So far Fili and Kili had seemed a bit distant since the cuddling had started, but perhaps that was their reaction to two fully grown males cuddling. He knew that it wasn't completely accepted among various societies -- but didn't Dwarf males outnumber Dwarf females? Surely some relationships of that kind would have developed...

Bilbo was distracted from his thoughts by Kili's voice. "Well, Mister Bilbo, we had simply noticed your plight of the evening and thought to give our opinion on it," he said, a grin touching his lips.

Beside him, Fili raised his eyebrows, saying, "Seeing as your dear Master Bofur is occupied at the moment, of course."

Bilbo frowned a bit, wondering if they were teasing him out of spite. "Yes, well... I can sleep alone for once. After all, I slept alone for years before now. It is only..."

Fili nodded once, as if something Bilbo said had proven him right. "It is only that you are in a strange place with strange people, and that you miss your Hobbit hole, isn't it? We understand, Mister Baggins, we really do."

Kili nodded as well, giving Bilbo a grin. "So you always slept alone, hm? Why did you go on about wanting to cuddle with another Hobbit then? Do you have a bonnie lass back at home?"

Bilbo flushed, giving them both a frown and wondering if all Dwarves liked to gossip about the romantic interests of Hobbits. "No, I do not! I am not married, but I of course have had my liaisons just as any other Hobbit of my age has. But that is not the topic of this conversation! I have always slept alone, to be sure, but not when traveling, and certainly not in the company of many others. This is a very big world, and I am a very small Hobbit, and... I just got a little lonely. I am not ashamed of it! But Bofur is, as you said, indisposed this evening, so I must sleep alone. It is not for me to go begging to others just for a cuddle. I am not that... pathetic," he finished with a mutter, lowering his gaze and feeling embarrassed again, remembering how ashamed Thorin had made him feel.

The brothers were silent, and Bilbo set himself to ignoring them, pulling off his coat to lay over his pack. After a few moments of pushing his pack around to make it less lumpy, Bilbo looked up at the two Dwarf brothers who had not moved and were still staring at him, frowning. "May I help you with something else? I should like to go to bed soon," he said, hoping they would take the hint and leave.

Fili and Kili exchanged glances, then both stood and walked away. Bilbo felt at a loss, wondering if this was the end of their tentative friendship, but as he laid down on his bedroll, Fili and Kili returned with their packs, looking cheerful as they always did. Bilbo stared at them in surprise.

"You see, Mister Baggins," Fili began, pulling out his bedroll and throwing it down beside Bilbo's bedroll, "while we were at first, to be sure, surprised by your insatiable need for cuddles, being unused to Hobbits --"

"We never expected you to lay down with Bofur of all Dwarves!" continued Kili, doing the same on the other side of Bilbo.

"After all, he keeps telling you all these stories that leave you frightened," Fili said, sitting down and giving Bilbo a grin.

"And don't think we didn't notice you trembling during dinner tonight when he talked about the Werewolves!" Kili continued, laying his bow and arrows down with a soft thud.

"It's just that," Fili said, falling into an easy recline on his side and raising his eyebrows up at Bilbo, whose head kept turning back and forth in an attempt to keep up with the Dwarf brothers' speech, "we figured you would choose a different Dwarf entirely for cuddling!"

"Or two, for that matter! But we understand that Bofur being as charming as he is, you wouldn't be able to resist him," Kili continued, sitting down and leaning forward with his hands on his knees. "So we waited, but night after night you still lay down with him!"

"So we talked to Uncle Thorin, and he gave Bofur the first shift, and here we are!" Fili said, spreading his arm and wiggling his eyebrows.

Beside them, Kili grinned and leaned back on his hands. "Maybe underhanded of us, but we waited for you for long enough! Bofur was due to take a shift tonight anyway, and you would have woken up cold and alone. This way, we can keep you warm till morning!"

They beamed at him, but Bilbo was very bewildered and confused and could only stare in shock. They wanted to cuddle with him? That was why they had acted so strangely around him? He sputtered, half angry that they had done something so cunning, and half amused at their antics, reminded of his Took cousins once again.

"That was very clever of you two, but you should apologize to Bofur in the morning! He really is very nice, you know, even if his stories are a little... Well, anyway, I did not think to ask you, no, not when Thorin is your uncle, and neither of you seemed very interested. I thought... you thought me odd, for my need," Bilbo said, blushing a bit.

Fili raised his eyebrows, and Kili's grin softened a bit. "Our uncle does not mind what we get up to, you know. Though he acts otherwise, he can be very understanding, for a Dwarf," Fili said, his voice lowering as Thorin looked over at them.

"And we do not think you odd at all, Mister Baggins," Kili continued, pulling off his arm guards and putting them aside, as Fili did the same with his belt. "Fact of the matter is, we admire you for openly expressing such desires. It is usually not... ah, the way of Dwarves, to admit to such things. We are blunt about everything but, just about."

Bilbo stared at them another moment, then turned his head to look at Thorin, giving him a frown. Thorin stared back, as if daring him, and for a moment they glared at each other, neither backing down, until Bilbo felt a tug on his arm -- one that made him topple onto his bedroll with a yelp.

On either side of him, Fili and Kili laughed and proceeded to argue over who got to cuddle Bilbo how. Both wanted to spoon him, but then Fili admitted that he preferred sleeping on his back, and so Kili described a solution that made Bilbo blush. Beyond their little trio, the other Dwarves were staring and muttering but strangely did not jeer as they had the first few nights. Perhaps it was Thorin's keen gaze that kept their tongues from wagging too much, the tall Dwarf's protectiveness over his sister-sons obvious to the rest.

Soon Bilbo was situated between the two Dwarf brothers, confused as to how he had ended up snuggled firmly in their arms. On one side Fili lay on his back, with Bilbo cuddled against his side, and behind him lay Kili, his arm thrown over Bilbo's waist, pressed up against his back. Bilbo was blushing now, aware of how intimate this felt, but as he listened to the brothers tease each other, he felt less tense, putting his arm over Fili's broad chest.

This was nice. No one had spooned him in quite a long while, and though Kili's arm was not as thick as Bofur's, he felt quite comfortable and warm here. The Dwarf brothers' teasing faded to an easy silence, and beyond them, the rest of the Dwarves were already snoring, save Bofur who sat and watched the fire, and Thorin, whose gaze stayed fixed on the trio.

Bilbo did not see Thorin's gaze, though, and he felt quite relaxed between the brothers, who were just as kind-hearted as Bofur, despite their teasing and sneaky ways. They had heard him ask for a sleep partner without him even saying the words out loud, and he should not have doubted them as he had. Fili's heartbeat was steady beneath his ear, and Kili's breath was hot against his neck. His head felt heavy and his body was very warm, and dimly he wondered if they might do this again with him, just for the cuddling; it really was very nice...

So Bilbo slumbered, cuddled between Fili and Kili, unaware of a dark blue gaze watching over them protectively.


	3. The Third Night: Balin and Dwalin (and Bifur, Dori, Nori, and Ori)

If Bilbo had been cheerful the first morning after cuddling with Bofur, he was nearly sparkling after Fili and Kili had snuggled him together. Bombur even stopped eating for a moment to stare at him when Bilbo heartily told Gandalf that he felt "so rested I could set off my own fireworks -- without even a match!" Fili and Kili seemed very smug about their night spent cuddling a Hobbit and told the others so several times.

"He is very soft and fluffy!" said Fili as he pulled the oats bag from one of the ponies.

"I've never slept better! Better than any Dwarf maiden, our Bilbo!" cried Kili, earning a frown from Thorin and a bout of laughter from Nori. 

Bofur agreed heartily, and Bilbo felt very silly as he laughed and blushed. The other Dwarves teased Fili and Kili, but they returned the taunts without once showing a frown. As everybody gathered their bedrolls and put on their belts and weapons, the brothers continued their gleeful compliments of Hobbits and cuddling, causing more than one Dwarf to eye Bilbo thoughtfully.

But Thorin pushed them to move on, and so they set out on their journey feeling rested and well. Gandalf seemed humored by the entire situation, and Bilbo felt a little embarrassed but was happy that the Dwarves, who had at first seemed very arrogant toward him, were so accepting of him and would grant him such kindness. More than once, he watched Thorin and pondered why the cold Dwarf would arrange something like this for him, after treating him with scorn and disdain so many times. Thorin's stiff back gave him no answers, though, and he would never dare to ask Thorin himself. So Bilbo could only wonder.

The nights continued in a similar fashion to the rest. Most nights, Bilbo would cuddle between Fili and Kili, but on the nights that one of them had to take a watch, Bilbo would sleep beside Bofur who always smiled at him kindly and let him cuddle as he wished. The other Dwarves no longer ridiculed them for his odd habit, and Bilbo thought he saw a few of them watching him in the mornings.

One night Bilbo was very tired and curled up next to whom he thought was Bofur, falling asleep before Bofur could wrap his arm around him, but the next morning he woke to find himself clinging to Bifur, while Bofur snoozed nearby. Bofur, upon seeing Bilbo cuddling beside his mute cousin, gave him a brilliant smile, and his stories that day were a little less riddled with descriptions of painful and disturbing deaths. Bifur seemed a bit nonplussed when he woke, but he only grunted and gave Bilbo a nod, and Bilbo managed to put aside his embarrassment. 

Another night, Bofur was taking watch, and Fili and Kili had gone ahead to scout, so Bilbo ended up asking, very politely, if he could sleep beside Dori, who despite his grumbling had so far been nice to Bilbo. Dori did grumble about it, but he lifted his cloak and Bilbo scurried to him, finding that a heavy fur Dwarf cloak was just the thing to keep out the chill. Apparently if one brother could cuddle with Bilbo, then all of the brothers could, as the next night and the night after that, Bilbo took turns sleeping beside Nori and Ori, as well.

Soon they came to the Weather Hills, which Bilbo had read about but never imagined he would see in his lifetime. The view from their camp on the edge of the forest was quite lovely with the moon cast over the rocky fields beyond, but Bilbo kept hearing noises that disconcerted him. As he fed an apple to his pony, Myrtle, he heard a strange echoing call in the distance. It sent shivers down his spine and made his curly hair stand on end.

"What was that?" he asked quickly, hurrying back to the fire where the Dwarves were smoking and snoozing.

Sitting back against a tall rock, Fili and Kili exchanged glances and grinned, which did nothing to ease Bilbo's anxiety. "Orcs," Fili replied, leaning forward with a smirk on his face. Well, Bilbo certainly would not be sleeping with them tonight.

Their teasing escalated, each brother trying to outdo the other with details of horrible Orc raids upon innocent encampments such as their own, until Thorin's dark voice put a stop to it.

"You think Orc raids are funny, do you?" he interjected, leaving his nephews flushed and silent. "You know nothing of the world," he muttered as he stalked away, and Bilbo thought for a moment that Thorin meant him as well. He did know quite a lot from books and stories, but... he really was a sheltered Hobbit. That was the Baggins side of him, after all. Yet... Thorin did not need to be so mean about it, he thought.

Fili and Kili were quiet, sulking from their uncle's harsh words, and Balin walked over, giving them all a warm smile. "Don't mind him, laddies," he said, leaning against the wall and puffing from his pipe. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate the likes of Orcs."

So Balin began to tell what Bilbo found was the most fascinating story yet, of Thorin's terrible past and the Dwarves' horrible loss of their home. He had not realized, until this story, why Thorin was so desperate to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug, nor had he understood why the Dwarves seemed sometimes bitter when he expressed his longing for home. The Dwarves had no true home, as he did; oh they had their houses and families, but they did not have the Shire as the Hobbits did. Their home was taken from them, and for a heavy moment, Bilbo mourned the loss of Erebor as the Dwarves did.

Balin's last words, of the Kingly figure Thorin could become, left Bilbo feeling very strange. He turned as the rest of the Dwarves did, to watch Thorin's solemn figure, and Thorin turned to look at them, the usual brooding expression replaced by one that Bilbo could actually read: profound sadness. He felt, in that moment, that Thorin's dark mutterings and constant pushes for them to continue on their journey were forgivable. If it had been him, and Erebor had been the Shire, he might have felt the same.

Balin's story lingered in his mind, though, and he turned back to ask one more question, "The pale Orc, what happened to him?"

Balin did not answer, though, as Thorin's voice cut through the somber silence. "He slunk back to the hole whence he came," he growled, as he stalked back through the camp and past Bilbo, his cloak brushing Bilbo's back. "The filth died of his wounds long ago." Bilbo shuddered, wishing he had not asked, thinking of the gruesome fall of the Orc that had murdered Thorin's grandfather.

After a few moments of silence, as the rest of the Dwarves crept back to their bedrolls and Fili and Kili silently followed their uncle, Bilbo looked up at Balin, who had sat down in Fili's place. With a heavy thump, Dwalin sat down on Bilbo's other side, sucking in the smoke from his pipe and giving Balin a look over the fire.

"Do you think... maybe, you could tell me more of Erebor? I read a bit of it in my books, but perhaps you could explain a few things to me," Bilbo said, and Balin gave him a small smile.

"I would be glad to, Mister Baggins," Balin said, and so he began to tell Bilbo of the lost city of Erebor, of a time long past but sorely missed, as Bilbo read in Balin's fond voice. He entertained Bilbo with stories for quite some time, until Bilbo was snoozing gently against Dwalin's side, the haunting calls of Orcs far from his sleepy mind, which was now filled with thoughts of holes so big you could fit a dragon in them, and of lonely princes in faraway cities of Men. Dwalin had laid out his bedroll nearby, as had many of the other Dwarves, listening to Balin's stories and interjecting with their own details, and it was on a lighter but still somber note that the stories ended and the Company fell asleep.

For a moment Dwalin frowned down at the sleeping Hobbit, and nearby Balin snorted. "Let him be," Balin said softly, giving his brother a small smile. "He's a sweet fellow, and it wouldn't hurt, you know."

Dwalin gave him a scowl but only shook his head, muttering something too low for Balin to hear. Yet Balin smiled anyway, understanding his brother well, and watched as Dwalin pulled Bilbo down beside him and laid his cloak over the little Hobbit's figure. At the edge of the camp, Thorin watched with an expressionless face, and Dwalin gave him a small shrug before closing his eyes, letting himself enjoy the warmth of another, letting the soft Hobbit breaths chase away the harrowing memories of a battle fought many years before.


	4. The Fourth Night: Gloin (and Bombur and Oin)

He dreamed of a Dwarven king running toward a distant mountain, and of a hall of gold that reeked of smoke and gleamed like embers. They were not nightmares, yet Bilbo woke suddenly, uncertain and anxious without fully realizing why. He sat up and noticed that he was alone, though the ground beside him was still warm. The only Dwarf who would not meet his gaze was Dwalin. Balin winked at him, and both Fili and Kili stared at him for a while. Thorin gave him a long look, but Bilbo could not hold his gaze for long, for some reason.

The Company was quiet as they set out, and for days afterward Bilbo's rest was poor despite the nights spent cuddled beside sturdy Dwarves. The urgency that Thorin had always exuded seemed to touch everyone's actions, including those of Bilbo, whose curious gaze was drawn to Thorin's figure ahead more than a few times as they rode onward. By day the Dwarves still sung and told stories, but if they pressed a little harder each day, staying just a little less time in the towns they passed, no one complained of it.

Nearly a month of travel had passed since they had first set out. The landscape had changed a great deal in the weeks since Bilbo had joined the Company of thirteen Dwarves and one Wizard. Long gone were the rolling hills of the Shire, as was the less lovely but still very interesting Old Forest and Weather Hills. Now the lands became a bit more desolate, and no longer did they pass towns or outlooks. The only songs sung now were those of the Dwarves, and occasionally a soft poem from Bilbo himself. 

Now they had crossed the Last Bridge, coming to an area of land where a farmer had once lived with his family, as Gandalf had surmised. Bilbo did not catch the rest of his mutterings, though, and he assisted as best he could with the ponies and dinner. The air felt heavy for some reason, leaving Bilbo anxious and the Dwarves grumbling.

What followed as night set would forever stay burned in Bilbo's memories. The Trolls terrified him so much that his knees knocked audibly together, but somehow they all survived, due to his Tookish gumption and Baggins wits, in spite of utter fear. Thorin still scowled at him and scoffed to Gandalf, but Bilbo thought he saw a look of consideration cast his way, that was much less contemptuous than usual.

The morning light did little to warm Bilbo after their near-death experience, but the find of Elvish weapons more than made up for it, if Gandalf was to be believed. Thorin seemed to believe little of what Gandalf said these days, and Bilbo was tempted to follow his example more than once. The Elvish blades proved invaluable but days later, however.

Despite the Trolls turning to stone, the ponies had fled with all of the supplies not left at their abandoned camp. Fili and Kili even with their keen young eyes could not find the ponies, and finally Thorin ordered the Company to rest for a short while, then pack what they could carry and continue on.

Bilbo, instead of resting immediately, crept to a nearby creek to wash off his clothes and body, shuddering at the stench of Troll that still covered him. Clad in only his thin shirt and breeches, he fell into a light snooze beside Bombur, whose girth kept the chill of his dark thoughts away, but his heavy snoring did not allow Bilbo true rest. When finally they rose again, Bilbo found he could carry little with his slight figure and poor strength, but he helped to pack the remaining supplies and offered assistance where he could. Most of the Dwarves seemed wary of him after his actions with the Trolls, but Bilbo was too weary and tired to worry about what they thought of him.

They marched on, and their walk was interrupted only two days later by a very strange fellow in a brown cloak, with whom Gandalf spoke with familiarity and geniality despite the tense Dwarf expressions and swords pointed at them. Bilbo listened to their conversation in confusion, the tale of the Necromancer making his hair stand on end, and he was further driven to apprehension when they heard a horrible howl nearby.

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked quickly, looking up anxiously. "Are there wolves nearby?"

Bofur, who still had his axe in hand, stepped up and looked into the trees with a disturbed expression on his face. "Wolves? No, that is not a wolf," he said in such a voice that gave Bilbo chills.

Then something crept up behind them, and the shouts of the others had Bilbo, Bofur, and the rest whirling about, to see a monstrous figure leaping at them. Thorin's, Kili's, and Dwalin's quick actions saved them, but Thorin scowled as he yanked his sword from the head of one of the beasts.

"Warg scouts!" he cried, voice urgent. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

" _Orc pack?_ " Bilbo exclaimed, but Gandalf was already pushing forward, his expression heavy and dark.

"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf asked of Thorin.

"No one," Thorin said, looking just as unsettled as Bilbo felt.

"Who did you tell?!" demanded Gandalf.

"No one, I swear!" answered Thorin, leaving Gandalf huffing, but he seemed to accept the answer. "What in Durin's name is going on?" asked Thorin, giving Gandalf a scowl, which he returned immediately.

"You are being hunted," Gandalf replied, and Bilbo felt deeply disturbed at that statement, wishing he had never joined this quest. The horrible stories he had heard from Fili and Kili, whether they were true or not, were enough of Orcs he felt he could stand. If he met a real one, he might just start crying.

Yet they had no choice but to flee. With Radagast the Brown drawing the ghoulish Orcs away from their trail, the Company ran across golden fields and hid behind large crags. Bilbo's quick and strong Hobbit feet allowed him to keep up with powerful Dwarf legs, but Bilbo's mind was alive with fear and adrenaline, wondering if they would make it out of here alive, if they would be caught, if he would ever see his smial again. They rushed behind another great stone, and all of the Company pressed back together, as the snuffling of a Warg's nose alerted them to a stalking Orc nearby. Bilbo, Dwalin's shoulder digging into his back as Thorin's arm pressed against his chest, dared not make a sound.

Kili's sharp skill with a bow killed the Warg, and Thorin's Elvish sword slayed the Orc but moments later. The horrible screeches of both beasts, however, drew the other Orcs to them, and desperately the Company looked for Gandalf, only to find him gone.

As the Orcs and Wargs closed in, the Company pressed back together, lamenting Gandalf's disappearance -- but then Gandalf reappeared behind them, revealing a hidden cave beneath the crag. Thorin rushed all of them into the safe haven, and together they huddled in stunned disquiet, listening to the cries of the Wargs and Orcs, along with hooves striking the ground and the thuds of arrows being driven into living bodies.

Then there was silence. Whatever company had saved them was gone, and Thorin seemed eager to escape the dangers outside. Gandalf pressed them onward, and Bilbo heard Thorin hiss to him, "Where are you leading us, Wizard?" but no response was given.

Bilbo did not know what to think; he trusted Gandalf and looked up to him, but he also thought Gandalf foolish and mad for some of his ideas. That was the Baggins side at war with his Took side again; he had been giving himself headaches lately with his two sides arguing, worrying over this journey between bouts of excitement over what all he had seen. But this, today -- Bilbo did not think he would forget this day in his lifetime. Today he had witnessed death in a startling way that the Trolls turning to stone had not impressed upon him. Today he had met monsters who wanted to kill him, monsters he had only read about, heard of in whispers, but never truly understood until seeing them in person.

The adrenaline wore down to exhaustion, but still the Company followed Gandalf through the narrow passage in the mountains. The path was lined with white stones, and they walked until the barking of Wargs was all but a memory, and Bilbo could smell sweet trees on the wind. At last the passage opened, and the Company came to stand on a shoulder that looked over a startling sight -- a city Bilbo had dreamed of since he was a little Hobbit, the Last Homely House east of the Sea. "Rivendell," he breathed, his gaze brightening with happiness for the first time in weeks. Thorin looked at him sharply, but Bilbo did not notice, his head already full of the Elvish he could remember from his books.

And so they came to stay with the Elves, and Bilbo fell in love with Rivendell. Though Thorin pressed them fervently to move on, the entire Company was exhausted from fighting and traveling for a full month, rising with the dawn and riding till long after the sun set. They were hungry, dirty, and ready for a good night's sleep in a place of safety, and Elrond offered them this and more.

Elrond welcomed them kindly and offered them comfortable rooms, hot baths, and a meal to fill their stomachs; however, Thorin was stubborn and did not want to stay. He accepted the baths and dinner grudgingly, but refused the rooms, as he announced they would set out the next morning. He would have set out after dinner if Gandalf had not convinced him to speak with Elrond about the map of the Lonely Mountain after a night of rest.

Thorin was stiff and cold during dinner, and the other Dwarves ridiculed the fare and music, but Bilbo was entranced, finding the delicacies delicious and the music heavenly. He had met Elves before when they passed through the woods near the Shire, but never so many at one time, and he wished to know more of them, to wander this place. For once his Tookish side was one he embraced gladly, if he could explore Rivendell.

They met with Elrond, and their discussion made Thorin even more desperate to leave. Gandalf argued that they needed rest, not to mention supplies to replace those the ponies had run off with, but Thorin was stubborn. Even the small injuries on his brethren were not enough to bend Thorin's will. In the end it was Bilbo who convinced him.

The Dwarves were eating a second dinner, one with sausages and wild hares they had caught in the woods. Bilbo had finished eating, but he was itching to run off and explore; however, Thorin had told them that everybody was to sleep as soon as they had eaten. With a huff he walked over to where Thorin was brooding by the edge of their encampment on one of the empty walkways on the outskirts of Elrond's home.

Thorin noticed his presence immediately and his scowl set a little deeper, but he moved aside obligingly. Bilbo did not walk past him, though, and instead stopped just outside of his personal space, looking up at Thorin with a frown. "Have you even eaten?" he asked pointedly, crossing his arms.

Thorin glanced down at him in surprise, his scowl fading a bit. "I had my fill earlier," he replied. 

Bilbo saw hunger in his gaze, however -- though he had his doubts whether it was hunger for more food or ale. He watched Thorin's gaze return to the edge of the valley, suspecting that he was looking for the Lonely Mountain. Only Gandalf had chosen to argue with Thorin, as none of the other Dwarves would even though their exhaustion was plain upon their features, but Bilbo was not a Dwarf and did not owe Thorin his obedience.

His Tookish side took hold of him, and without thinking of the consequences, he said, "I think you are making a mistake." 

Thorin turned another frown upon him. "You know not of what you speak, Halfling," he rumbled, his dark gaze meeting Bilbo's eyes.

Bilbo did not back down, his chest swelling with determination. "I think I do, actually!" he said, putting his hands on his hips. "Have you looked in a mirror lately? No, you have not, because we have been sleeping outside for a _full month_. There are dark circles under your eyes, Thorin Oakenshield, and I think you are even more exhausted than the rest of the Company combined!"

Thorin's expression darkened and he opened his mouth to reply something no doubt scathing and rude, but Bilbo quickly pressed on. "Do you even remember the last time you had a hot bath before today?" he asked with a frown. "Or even the last time you slept past sunrise? I suspect that even before you came to my door in Hobbiton, you rarely allowed yourself proper comforts like that for more than one night at a time. Ah ah, do not even try to deny it!" Bilbo said, whipping up a finger when Thorin uncrossed his arms and stepped forward.

"You should watch your tongue, Hobbit," Thorin growled, but Bilbo gave him a scowl so fierce that his mouth shut immediately. He did not step back, even though they were nearly standing chest to chest. He gestured back to the company, who had so far not noticed their argument.

"Look at us, Thorin. No, _look_ at us. Look at your kin and companions, look at me -- look at yourself! See how tired we all are! Our clothes are threadbare, we have no ponies or proper supplies, and we need more than one night to gather ourselves. Gandalf is right -- we should stay here! We need supplies, we need to heal, and most of all -- we need _rest_! You scoff at me every time I say I miss Bag-End, but I think I have a point in missing a warm bed and a soft pillow!"

"You and your _creature comforts_ ," Thorin spat, pushing Bilbo back with one hand, pressing him back against a white stone column. "I will not rest here when we could be closer to Erebor tomorrow! If we are being _hunted_ as the Wizard says, we must hurry and reach the Mountain before they can! I will not have what is rightfully mine stolen from me! I will certainly not sleep easy under an Elvish roof, not after what they did to my kin!"

Bilbo stared up at him, stunned, and behind them the Company had fallen silent. After a moment that stretched to awkwardness, Bilbo's frown returned, and he reached up to take Thorin's hand from his chest. "Is your pride so important to you that you will neglect your health?" he wondered quietly, letting go of Thorin's hand and stepping back. "We must rest, Thorin. Whether it be in a bed made for Elves or out here on their porch, we must recuperate. Elrond promised us supplies, and Gandalf promised us safety. Please... if not for yourself, then for the others. They are very tired, after everything."

Thorin glared down at him, breathing hard, then turned his dark gaze upon the rest of the Dwarves, who stared at him with wide eyes but said nothing. Bilbo knew they would not complain, not when they believed so strongly in their quest and in Thorin himself, but he wished Thorin would be a better leader to them, at least for a little while. Most of all he wanted to sleep properly, not on a lumpy bedroll beside a Dwarf, but in a real bed, with real feather pillows and a real blanket to keep him warm -- but he did not say these things to Thorin, who would only scoff at him again.

Yet somehow as he looked upon the solemn Company, Thorin saw what he had been trying to deny since the night of the Trolls -- that they sorely needed to rest properly. His broad shoulders sunk, and in that moment Bilbo felt relief, though in the next he felt guilty upon seeing glints of exhaustion and regret in Thorin's features. He did not think the Dwarf king liked having his faults pointed out, but he was nothing if not a determined Hobbit, and he gave a small sigh of relief when Thorin turned away.

"Very well. We will stay... for a time," he gave in, his voice level despite shouting only moments before. Bilbo noticed a line of tension in his back, though, and wished he could do something to help Thorin... but he knew Thorin would not accept it, no matter what he did. Briefly he thought of asking Thorin if perhaps a cuddle would help him sleep... but then his Baggins side shushed his thoughts, and he blushed red. Instead of speaking again, Bilbo turned away and chose to find Gandalf to tell him of Thorin's acceptance.

Elrond seemed pleased by their decision, and he gave each Dwarf, Hobbit, and Wizard a room to sleep in and soft Elvish robes for them to wear while their clothes were cleaned and fixed. He promised Thorin a full replenishment of their supplies, and he would even check their pastures to see if they had any ponies for the Company to ride. Bilbo had to admit that Thorin was graceful in his defeat, but nonetheless he was very pleased with himself for arguing with Thorin and winning.

The room Elrond gave him held a bed that could have fit Bilbo and many of his Took cousins, but Bilbo did not want to share it with anybody. He was clean and warm, in a place he had dreamed of for years, with time to explore the city and speak with the Elves from his books. This was a place where he could relax, and for once he was happy that he had accompanied the Dwarves on their journey. For the first night since Thorin's decree, which felt like it must have happened years ago, Bilbo fell asleep alone and slept soundly, his little form hunched up against the wide feather pillows made for a much larger person.

~

Though Thorin scowled and muttered, the Dwarves were obviously relieved to rest in Elrond's house. As promised their clothes were returned to them, sewn and patched with fine thread, and Elrond allowed the Company to hunt in his woods for venison to smoke for their supplies. The Dwarves, however, were nothing if not tenacious, and their obvious mistrust of the Elves had them causing mayhem several times. Bilbo did not approve, but he was usually too busy in Elrond's library or roaming the ancient halls in appreciation to notice what the Dwarves did. He met with them for meals, of course, but the rest of the time he spent exploring, falling more in love with Rivendell's bright beauty each day.

By night, Bilbo slept alone, and though at first he was rested and content in a soft bed, he found that he missed cuddling to sleep with his fellow Dwarves. On the fourth night of their stay in Rivendell, Bilbo went to Bofur's door and quietly asked if he could sleep beside him for a little while, and Bofur smiled and let him in. The next night, it was Fili, and the night after that, it was Nori.

One night after dinner, the Company had gathered in Gloin's room for a round of stories, and they invited Bilbo. They stayed up late into the night, and Bilbo noticed that Thorin never joined them, but he did not know the king's thoughts well these days, having seen him little since their argument. Hours after they had started, Balin had finally slipped out, leaving the door ajar, and the only ones left awake were Bilbo, Gloin, and Oin, which made for a peculiar company, as Bilbo felt that Gloin had never approved of him. Bilbo had grown tired and was tucked between Gloin and Oin on a sofa, all three smoking their pipes in contentment.

Finally Gloin breathed out the last of his pipe smoke and knocked out the embers on a tray nearby. "'Tis time for you to return to your room, lad," he said, giving Bilbo a small frown.

Bilbo looked up at him sleepily, then began to put out his own pipe with a yawn. "Can't I stay here with you?" he asked plaintively, thinking it was much too late to be bothering the others for a cuddle.

Oin, having put his trumpet to his ear, shot him a look and shook his head. "Completely improper," he muttered, and Gloin heaved a sigh.

"No, lad, you cannot," he replied, gently pushing Bilbo away. "I am a married Dwarf, and no Dwarf who has taken a mate will lie with another, even kin or for comfort." 

Bilbo blinked, stunned by this admission, as he never imagined that any of the Dwarves in the Company were married. "I'm sorry," he said, looking upon Gloin with new respect. "I had no idea. I didn't think anybody was married, really... though everyone keeps asking if I cuddle because I miss a lass back at home. It isn't true, you know."

Oin snorted and Gloin gave him a look, but a small smile crossed his face. "Your Hobbit ways are very unlike those of Dwarves, Mister Baggins," he said, absently pulling out a small engraved locket and turning it over in his hands. "Most Dwarves are solitary, but if we do choose to mate, we bond for life and would never betray our spouses for anything. These... cuddles you have convinced the rest to do, it is very undwarflike. Such things are meant to stay between bonded couples, or to be kept private between those courting each other."

Bilbo drank all of this information in with awe, fascinated to learn more of a culture he knew little about. "I suppose that's a lot like Hobbits, actually, except we always cuddle with our siblings and parents and cousins. Hobbits tend to have large families, you know, and there's always a lass or lad to have a tumble with... but I think Hobbits are like Dwarves in that we do not betray our spouses for a random tumble. I didn't mean to, um, invade anyone's privacy... I hope I have not offended any of you," he finished, feeling embarrassed for his actions.

Oin shook his head, while Gloin gave another snort, though for a moment they both looked a bit wistful. "No, laddie," Oin said. "The others take your so-called cuddles to be an innocent sort, and it's not like we do not embrace one another as kin! Gloin here is just old-fashioned, as am I, I must say. Gloin is very proud of his wife, you know -- she has the finest beard I've ever seen of a Dwarf maiden!"

Gloin seemed to swell with pride at these words, but Bilbo did a double-take. "Beard?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Oin and Gloin exchanged a glance, then Gloin opened the locket in his hand and held it up for Bilbo to see. There in the locket were two pictures, one of a feminine-looking Dwarf who indeed had a beard and, as Bilbo could see, was indeed quite beautiful, and the other of a much younger Dwarf, no more than a boy. Bilbo looked upon the pictures with amazement, a smile crossing his lips. "Is that..."

Gloin nodded, his expression smiling while Oin grinned. "Yes, that is my son, Gimli," Gloin said, sounding very proud indeed. "Strong lad, very good with an axe! He's not as young as the picture shows, but I like to keep this one with me, since he was such a handsome little tyke."

Bilbo smiled. Gloin sounded just like his aunts and uncles did talking about their children. "Your wife looks very beautiful, as you said. Again, I'm sorry for being rude."

Gloin grunted and tucked his locket back in a pocket, while Oin grinned. "It's alright, laddie. So you never took a wife back at home?" Oin asked, and for a moment Bilbo despaired of gossiping Dwarves.

"No!" he said, putting his pipe in his pocket. "Many of my cousins have gotten married already, but I never... no, I never felt the need to marry or have children. I suppose I'm like a Dwarf, in a way. I always had my parents and the occasional tumble, but never anyone serious... and well, after my parents died, I didn't have the heart to look for anyone to settle down with. It just... never happened."

Oin nodded understandingly, and Gloin shook his head. "Life sometimes turns out that way, lad, and for Dwarves more than Hobbits. Most of those in our Company will likely never settle down with a Dwarf maiden, I imagine, but even then, they will not take another male as partner, either. We are solitary creatures... even more so for losing our home."

Bilbo smiled faintly, feeling forlorn from their conversation. "So Dwarves do not lie with other males? You must think my cuddling very odd, then."

Gloin seemed to hesitate, glancing at Oin who had taken his trumpet ear down, before saying quietly, "It is true that most Dwarves prefer the company of maidens, lad, but it is not unheard of to lie with another male, or even to bond with them. It is only that Dwarf bonds are intensely private. No proper Dwarf will even hold hands with his bonded in public. No Dwarf wants to share that intimacy with anyone else."

Bilbo stared, thinking that very different from the Shire. "That's not like Hobbits at all," he said, peering over at Oin who seemed to be snoozing. "Hobbit couples are always holding hands and hugging and kissing in public, and we like very much to show our partners off. Or... at least other Hobbits do. I don't know what I would do, given the chance."

Then he yawned, and he realized how very late it was. "Oh, I am very sorry for keeping you up, Master Gloin. Thank you for explaining so much to me."

Gloin nodded and rose to walk to his brother and wake him. Oin stood with a sway but was awake enough to hobble out the door and down the hall to his room. "It is no trouble at all, lad," Gloin said finally. "You're not that bad, for a Hobbit, you know."

Bilbo blushed, then bade Gloin goodnight, slipping out into the darkened hallway. He started toward his room, then paused when he noticed a figure on a bench in one of the alcoves nearby, starting, then realizing who was sitting there.

"Thorin! Oh, but you gave me a fright!"

Thorin was indeed sitting on a bench that was placed across from an open landing that looked over the valley, smoking his pipe and looking contemplative. Bilbo wondered how long he had been sitting there, then he wondered if Thorin had heard his conversation with Gloin and Oin. His cheeks felt warm at that thought, and Bilbo eyed Thorin warily, ready to defend his Hobbit ways.

But Thorin only looked at him and nodded, and Bilbo relaxed a little. "I did not mean to startle you," Thorin said quietly.

Bilbo looked a bit closer at Thorin, thinking that the circles under his eyes were no longer so dark, but he could tell a brooding expression when he saw one. "Can you not sleep?" he asked quietly, stepping closer to Thorin to keep their conversation from becoming loud.

Thorin eyed him but seemed to shrug, breathing out pungent smoke. "Did you enjoy the stories tonight, Halfling?" he asked instead of answering Bilbo, which led Bilbo to sigh.

"I enjoyed them very much, as I always do, Master Oakenshield," he responded a bit tetchily, wishing that Thorin would address him by name for once, but he did not expect it. "Were you listening, then?"

A faint smile seemed to cross Thorin's face, but it was gone so quickly that Bilbo must have imagined it, with the shadows as they were. "I have simply been sitting here smoking my pipe, Master Hobbit," Thorin said. He stood then, leathers creaking in the silence of the hallway, and Bilbo at that moment was more aware than ever of how much taller than him Thorin was.

"So you _were_ listening," Bilbo accused, but he did not feel angry. If Thorin had not felt the need to join them, Bilbo would not make a fuss, especially since it seemed that the king still wished to share in their company in small ways. "Hm, well then, I think I should be off to bed," he continued, nodding to Thorin, but he did not walk way.

Thorin gazed down at him, his pipe brushing against his lips briefly. "Yes, you should," he said, and he did not step away, either.

They watched each other for a long moment, the air between them for once peaceful and calm. Bilbo allowed himself to wonder, in that moment, what it would be like to sleep beside the cold Dwarf king, and as the silence stretched, it was on the tip of his tongue to invite Thorin to his room. But then the Baggins side of him reared up and stamped out his Tookish thought, leaving him blushing in the darkness.

"Good night, Thorin," he said quietly, and he turned away without waiting for a reply, feeling bereft for some reason.

He was but a few paces away when he heard the deep voice behind him say, "Good night, Bilbo," which made him stumble, but when he turned around, Thorin was no longer there.

Bilbo slept alone that night, and he dreamed of a deep voice filling his smial with a song of a journey that would forever change him.


	5. The Fifth Night: Thorin

It was a week later, and Bilbo was walking back from one of the halls of Rivendell where relics of Ages past were kept, quiet with contemplation. He had come across Narsil, an ancient blade with a fascinating story, and Lord Elrond had kindly explained some of the history of the sword.

The story had left him strangely melancholy. So many Men, Elves, and Dwarves had lived these glorious stories, which were not truly stories, but really history. These heroes were brave and strong, honorable and valiant, and Bilbo was... not.

Bilbo was just a Hobbit. A very average one at that, being of Baggins stock and having done his best since his tweenhood to be as normal as possible. He had denied his Took side for so long that when the Dwarves had entered his home with their contract, he had hardly known what an adventure was.

He would never pick up a sword and swing it to protect another person. He would never lead a fight against an enemy army and win. He would never be part of a battle so large, so historic, that it would be sung of and taught to children for years to come.

It had been easy to daydream, laying in the darkness the night before he had run after Thorin and his company, of the great impossible things he could do on an adventure with Dwarves and a Dragon. He had come a long way from his little smial, and yet Bilbo still felt lost, still could not picture his future past waking up the next morning and walking toward a mountain he had never heard of before Dwarves invaded his home.

He wanted to see more of the world, though. Rivendell was a place he had wanted to visit since he was a little Hobbit. His mother would tell him stories of the Elves, and once in a while he would get to see them passing through the woods just outside the Shire. As a child he had freely dreamed up adventures to go on and heroic stories to act out, but slowly, as he grew older, his father had squashed that side down until he was a Baggins inside and out.

Or so he had thought. He wasn't at Bag-End now, after all.

Bilbo looked up, realizing that his feet had carried him to the edge of Elrond's woods, where a little bridge ran over a bubbling creek. He glanced up and realized that it was very late, but he did not want to return to his room and fall asleep alone.

Ever since talking with Gloin and Oin and learning some of the Dwarves' customs, Bilbo had not asked any of the Dwarves to cuddle with him. It felt improper, now, and he did not want to offend anybody, even though he knew that most of them did not mind, and if they did, they would have told him weeks ago. He was not sleeping well because of it, but his father's lessons from his childhood still held true: Bilbo was nothing if not polite, and he would not break Dwarvish social protocol for his own selfish needs.

With a small sigh, Bilbo sat down beside a large statue at the edge of a landing that overlooked one of the smaller waterfalls and gazed down at the darkened water, enjoying the summer breeze. Rivendell really was a beautiful and wondrous place. He had felt at ease here since he first laid eyes on the city. The Elves had been nothing but kind to him, if a little supercilious, but Bilbo was related to Sackville-Bagginses and knew how to handle haughty folk. Elrond had allowed him to look through his library, and Bilbo had already paged through several lovely books and scrolls, full of stories he had never known existed.

In a way he wanted nothing more than to stay here forever. As a boy he had dreamed of being part of the noble race of the Elves, but he was starting to realize that Elves were not everything he had dreamed of, and that the other races were just as noble.

Dwarves, for instance, were quite noble and interesting, and Bilbo was growing to appreciate them all the more for it. Bofur, Fili, and Kili had been very understanding and kind to him, for all that they liked to tease him, and by now he felt he got along well enough with all of the members of their company. He might not be a Dwarf and would never fully understand them, but he felt more comfortable with them now, and he was growing more and more fascinated by the history and culture of Dwarf society.

Thankfully, the other Dwarves were glad for his interest and told him many stories of their home and people. Still, sometimes Bilbo wished to know the Dwarves more personally, like how Gloin had told him of his son and wife. He hated to admit it, knowing the fascination was odd even for a Hobbit, but he was quite drawn to Thorin even moreso than the other Dwarves. It would be nice to know more of Thorin, of what he did in the cities of men, of whether he liked to read the sort of books Bilbo loved, of whether he had a wife or not...

But Bilbo would never ask. Thorin did not seem to like him on the best of days, and it was not as if they were friends. Merely allies in a company on an adventure. That was all any of the Dwarves were to him, and he really should be thankful for it. No sense in making friends with people whose true home was on the other side of Middle Earth.

Except he did, really, want to be friends with them, to be accepted as one of them and thought of with the same respect that the heroes in his favorite stories were given. He doubted it would ever happen, though, not when Thorin had such a low opinion of him, and most of the others were hardly any better.

Bilbo was drawn out of his thoughts then by steady footsteps in the woods behind him, and he turned to see the subject of his thoughts walking out of the trees toward him. Thorin walked along the landing until he came to Bilbo's side, and Bilbo looked up at him, nonplussed, wondering how on earth Thorin had found him.

And why? Bilbo never would have thought that Thorin of all people would seek out his company. He realized he was staring as Thorin walked over to him and paused a few feet away, feeling flustered all of a sudden.

"Good evening, Master Oakenshield," he finally said, standing from his spot. "How may I help you this evening?"

Thorin eyed him thoughtfully but inclined his head. "Good evening, Master Baggins," he replied, and Bilbo realized that Thorin was not wearing his usual furs and leathers, but a thinner shirt and pants, his large Dwarf boots on his feet. "I've come to speak with you on behalf of some in our Company."

Bilbo frowned, wondering what on earth could be wrong. Surely he had not offended anybody too badly, right? Maybe Gloin had been upset by their conversation. "Is something the matter? Have I... offended anybody?" he asked tentatively.

Thorin shook his head, walking over to the statue and sitting down, gesturing beside him. "No, Master Baggins, you have not. Here, sit with me." He waited, and after a moment Bilbo sat down again, noticing the warmth of the Dwarf beside him. He had never been this close to Thorin before. "Fili and Kili came to me earlier, and they were... concerned for you. They said you had not been to visit any of the Dwarves at night, and Bofur confirmed this. Oin mentioned that you, he, and his brother had a conversation a few days ago about, ah... Dwarvish habits."

Bilbo turned his head to watch Thorin, feeling his face slowly heat up with embarrassment. He had not realized that the others would notice, and he felt all the worse for them bothering Thorin with it. "Well... they are right, of course, I haven't been cuddling with anyone lately. I didn't want to be a bother, not when... well, Gloin told me that it simply wasn't done, and even though he said it was alright, I still felt that I was being... improper, asking for a cuddle. You are not Hobbits, after all, and I am not kin to any of you," he said, turning his face away to look at the valley, feeling very flustered from the conversation, though he tried not to let it show in his voice.

Beside him, Thorin gave a small huff, perhaps in exasperation, but then Thorin was usually exasperated with him. "Improper? Halfling, if any of the Dwarves thought it rude or _improper_ to spend the night beside you, they would have refused the first time you asked them. Most of us are not as old-fashioned as Oin and Gloin, and you have not offended anyone. In fact," Thorin said, and Bilbo looked up to see Thorin watching him with a raised eyebrow, "I have heard many compliments on our burglar since this cuddling business began. Warmth, comfort, company... they all think it is quite nice to sleep beside a companion such as you. Fili and Kili especially... they won't shut up about it," Thorin finished with a mutter, and Bilbo could only stare at him.

Here he had thought he was being a bother, intruding upon the Dwarves' privacy, but in fact they... liked it? Well. He was being rather silly about this, wasn't he?

"I'm sorry for making a fuss about it," he said, looking down at his knees, his face very warm despite the summery breeze.

Thorin snorted. "As long as you're aware, Hobbit," he said, and Bilbo nodded, feeling relieved and embarrassed, but somehow very pleased.

The two sat quietly together, and though Bilbo thought the conversation was over, Thorin did not leave. Chancing a glance up at him, Bilbo saw Thorin's gaze fixed once again on the horizon, just north of east. Though Bilbo knew he could not see past the peaks of the Misty Mountains, he knew somehow that Thorin was looking for the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo did not look, but to the west was the Shire where home was, and for a moment he missed it keenly, missed his garden and his books and his warm hearth. Then he thought that Thorin must miss his home as well, though he had not seen it in many, many years.

Then Thorin began to hum softly, the same lonely tune that he had first sung with the other Dwarves in front of the hearth Bilbo missed so much. Bilbo felt himself drifting, thinking of two homes on opposite sides of Middle Earth, each yearned for yet both so far away. _What an adventure,_ he thought to himself, leaning back against the white stone of the statue behind them. _I wonder how far it will take me..._

He did not realize he had drifted off until he felt movement under his cheek, and he mumbled, curling closer to the warmth beside him. "You haven't been sleeping well, Halfling," was muttered in his ear, but Bilbo only sighed, slumber heavy on his mind.

"Didn't want to be a bother," he murmured, thinking of lonely nights in a large bed in a strange place.

Thorin sighed deeply and shifted again, as if to move away, and Bilbo let out a soft whine. "Just for a bit," he pleaded softly, not really thinking that this was _Thorin_ , only that the shoulder beneath his head was comfortable and the scent in his nose, of fire and stone, relaxing. It was almost like his smial...

Thorin paused, then he leaned back against the stone again, his expression softening just a bit, though Bilbo did not see it. "Just for a bit," he agreed finally, and Bilbo slept, dreaming of a great hole that smelled of fire and stone, in a mountain that was far, far away from his empty hearth.

When Bilbo woke, he was alone in his bed, and he wondered if the entire memory was just a dream.


	6. And the One Time They Asked Him

The next few days were spent putting together their supplies and avoiding Thorin, if Bilbo were asked. He felt a bit shy whenever he saw the king, and truth be told Thorin was not a Dwarf he wanted to approach at the moment, given his thunderous expression as they continued their stay with the Elves. Thorin was not staying by his own choice; indeed, it had been revealed by Elrond that the map Thorin carried could only be read by the light of a midsummer crescent moon, which had been still two weeks away when they had arrived at Rivendell. After a very strong but whispered argument with Gandalf, Thorin had grudgingly agreed to stay until the night the map could be read.

Tonight was that night. Dinner was a tense affair, with Thorin giving Gandalf glares while Elrond seemed unconcerned. Gandalf tried to be as charming as possible, but Thorin made it difficult, though he was at least graceful to the Elves in his contempt. Bilbo watched him for a bit from the table he shared with the other Dwarves, and a few times Balin or Bofur had to nudge him to get his attention back.

"Don't worry about him, lad," Balin would say quietly, and Bilbo would nod and return to his salad.

"Bilbo, look here, did I ever tell you how I came by this scar? It was on a night such as this, but in a town of Men, where they were having a sordid festival and everybody was three sheets to the wind!" Bofur would say, pulling Bilbo closer and showing off whatever horrible thing he wanted Bilbo to see next. Bilbo would look because he could not help himself, and truly he was glad for Bofur's stories and distractions, because thoughts of Thorin were heavy on his mind.

He had returned to cuddling with the Dwarves, and he had apologized to all of them for his misconception. The Dwarves had forgiven him for his silliness, and Bofur had been his companion of choice for the past two nights. Fili and Kili had pouted and cried foul, but Bofur had only smiled at them, and Bilbo had shrugged. Bofur, unlike the siblings, did not press him too much for details on why he was suddenly coy around Thorin, nor did Bofur nearly suffocate him through clinging -- and neither did Bilbo wake up the next morning with certain things pressed into him, with snickering in his ear as he tried to wriggle away.

The two brothers really were just like his cousins, and he had scolded them fiercely, just as he once had Dinodas and Saradas Brandybuck who had joined Fortinbras Took in a sneaky prank on Bilbo at their aunt's birthday party some years past. Just like his cousins, though, they had nodded and acted solemn, but as soon as Bilbo had turned his back, matching grins had appeared on their faces. Bilbo did not understand how Thorin kept them in line.

Bilbo eyed the brothers, sitting across from them, as they acted out a part of a ballad they had been singing moments before. Perhaps he would cuddle with one of them tonight, but only if they promised not to question him about Thorin again. How was he to explain to _Thorin's nephews_ of all people that he believed Thorin had carried him to bed and tucked him in like a fauntling after too much cake and pudding? No, if he told Fili and Kili of his suspicion, then the entire company would know before breakfast the next morning. He really did not want Thorin to scowl at him all the way to the Lonely Mountain.

Finally dinner ended, and Gandalf and Thorin were invited to Elrond's library to read the map. Thorin called Balin over to join them, and curiously Gandalf called over Bilbo to do the same. Thorin gave Gandalf something of an exasperated look for it, but Gandalf only hummed and smiled at them, so Bilbo obediently followed along with the strange group, his interest already building.

The events of the meeting were quite fascinating to Bilbo, who had never witnessed such magic nor heard of such aspects of Dwarven culture. Yet the conversation had made Thorin even tenser, and when they finally deemed the meeting finished, Balin and Bilbo had to rush to keep up with Thorin as he stormed away. As Balin caught up to Thorin, Bilbo heard the king bark out orders to the older Dwarf, and what Bilbo heard nearly made him trip.

"Gather the Company and have everybody pack. We will not rest tonight -- we leave when we are ready," Thorin said, keeping his voice low as if to ward off extra listeners.

Beside him, Balin frowned. "You know we have not received the ponies we were promised, Thorin, but I think they would have stalled giving them to us anyway. Do we have enough grain for the trip?"

Thorin scoffed. "We will ration if we must. Our priority is leaving before first light, lest the White Council seek to halt us. Go, find Dwalin and set everybody to packing. I will meet you there," he ordered, and Balin nodded and hurried away. Bilbo kept up with Thorin, unsure of his role, but Thorin made it clear a moment later.

"Halfling, you will go into the woods and locate my nephews. They had expressed a desire to practice their skills with a blade at dinner, and I will not have them prancing about all night. Be quick," Thorin said, barely glancing at Bilbo, and Bilbo floundered for a moment, looking over his shoulder at the hall they had left.

"What about Gandalf?" he asked quietly, and Thorin looked back and scowled.

"The Wizard will be busy with the Council, hopefully to distract them until we are far enough away. He has already explained that he will have business to attend to, so we will meet up with him later," Thorin responded, and Bilbo felt torn, not wanting to leave Gandalf behind, but he still did not understand Thorin's urgency.

"Thorin," he began, wanting to know more about this White Council, but Thorin cut him off.

" _Go,_ Halfling, we do not have all night! Find Fili and Kili, then gather your belongings and meet the rest of us at the narrow bridge. Just go," Thorin said authoritatively, stopping and turning to frown down at Bilbo. Bilbo stopped quickly and nearly stumbled into Thorin, but he held himself back and looked up, meeting Thorin's pale blue gaze.

All of a sudden, the thoughts that had been swirling about his head for the past few days came back with vigor, reminding Bilbo of his suspicion, and he blushed. Without another word he turned and vanished down another pathway, heading for one of the clearings where he had seen Bofur go one night, hoping that it would not take long to locate the brothers.

He did not see Thorin watch him go, a contemplative expression on his face.

~

It did not take long at all to find Fili and Kili, and even better, Bofur and Nori were with them, cheering them on as they circled each other in the clearing. Bilbo came to a stop beside Bofur, panting softly from his sprint, and Bofur looked down at him in surprise, a grin appearing on his face.

"If it isn't Master Baggins! Did you want to join us in our mock battles, Bilbo? I'll pair up with you!" he said cheerfully, and even if Bilbo had not felt rushed with Thorin's orders, he would not have accepted such an invitation. Bofur was much stronger than him, after all, and undoubtedly knew exactly how to knock Bilbo off his feet more times than he could count.

"I am sorry, Master Bofur, but I cannot!" he said, straightening after he had caught his breath. "You must all stop anyway! Thorin said we are leaving," he finished quickly, and Fili and Kili paused in their attempts to stab each other.

"Uncle Thorin said that?" Fili asked, sheathing his sword and giving Bilbo a frown. Beside him Kili did the same, looking eager.

"Did the meeting go badly then? Will we have to fight some Elves to escape?" Kili asked, and Bilbo frowned at them both.

"We shan't fight anybody! The meeting was all well and good, except we discovered a few things that have left Thorin very upset. He believes Lord Elrond and the other Elves will try to stop us, you see, and wishes to leave before they can try. He said that everybody needs to pack, for we are leaving before first light. So hurry!"

Fili gave Bilbo another considering frown, but Bilbo was not about to explain the meeting to anybody. Let Thorin and Balin handle that, for surely they would be able to explain the circumstances better than Bilbo could. Finally Fili, Kili, and Nori left the clearing and hurried back to their rooms, and Bilbo pretended not to notice when Bofur slipped Nori a few coins.

Bofur lingered, though, and gave Bilbo a considering look. "It's more serious than you let them believe, isn't it?" he said after a moment, and Bilbo glanced up at him, noticing the lack of a smile immediately. After a moment he nodded, and Bofur seemed to sigh.

"Ah, well, it was nice to rest while it lasted, wasn't it?" Bofur lamented, and Bilbo smiled a bit, agreeing. He did not want to leave Rivendell, not when he felt so at peace here, but the urgency of their quest could not wait for his love of books and Elves. He had signed a contract, after all.

"I think Thorin will have us crossing the Misty Mountains from here," Bilbo offered. The two began to walk back together, not quickly as the others had, and Bilbo took the opportunity to take one last look at Rivendell as it was, the moon casting shadows against the ground and Elvish lights brightening their path.

Beside him Bofur grimaced, but his smile returned easily enough. "'Twill be a hard walk, to be sure, but it will be lovely at least. We will have to be careful, though -- the Misty Mountains are full of Orcs, you know."

Bilbo shivered, not liking the sound of Orcs after their run-in two weeks ago. "I certainly hope we do not meet any of them," he said quietly, and Bofur made a noise in his throat like a chuckle. Then he put his arm over Bilbo's shoulders and leaned in, making Bilbo look up in confusion.

"Don't worry yourself to a dither, Bilbo," Bofur said, touching a finger to the side of his nose and grinning. "You only have to ask, and I'll be there to offer you aid. Why, we could even work in the evenings to teach you some skill with that little sword of yours! What do you say?"

Bilbo smiled weakly, but he was charmed by Bofur's offer and companionable grin, as well as the warm arm on his back. "I would appreciate your help a great deal, Master Bofur," he said quietly, and Bofur beamed at him.

"That's the spirit! But no more 'Master,' understand? Just Bofur is fine. We're friends after all!"

Bilbo nearly tripped. Friends? But yes, out of all of the company, Bofur had been the kindest to him and had spent the most time with him, both during the day and at night. Fili and Kili, too -- and Bilbo realized that he had begun to befriend all of them, even Thorin, though to call it real friendship was a far stretch for the king and most of the other Dwarves. Bofur, though, had been considerate of him from the very first day, and Bilbo gave him a surprisingly bright smile, reaching up to squeeze Bofur's wrist.

"Friends we are, Bofur, and I'm glad for it," he said. Bofur watched him a moment, his expressions softening a bit, but he only gave Bilbo another squeeze and let go, and the two hurried to their rooms.

~

Two long and difficult weeks passed, as the Company crossed the Misty Mountains. They walked by day, and though the Dwarves complained and bemoaned the hard terrain, Bilbo handled it quite well, thanking his sturdy Hobbit feet, even though more than once one of the others offered to make him a pair of boots. By night, they kept a careful watch for Orcs, with at least two Dwarves awake per shift.

Though they rationed their meals and Thorin was more on edge than he had been so far, the Company was still cheerful as always. Bilbo missed Gandalf and his stories, but Balin was more than happy to explain things to him, and Bofur was never without a story to tell Bilbo. Bofur also kept his promise and took to teaching Bilbo a few of the basics of swordsmanship, such as how to block and even a couple of ways to catch an enemy off guard with an attack. Fili and Kili, and surprisingly Nori and Dwalin, joined in after much teasing and mockery, and it became a nightly game for the Company. Thorin allowed it, knowing that his men needed the distraction, and Bilbo was grateful despite his mortification, as more than once he woke suddenly to hear Orc calls in the distance, leaving him unable to sleep for the rest of the night.

By the time two weeks had passed, they had crossed much of the Mountains, but their progress was slow considering the massive girth of the range, and Thorin seemed all the more determined to reach Erebor each day.

In those two weeks, Bilbo had felt something of a rift open up between him and Thorin. Thorin rarely spoke to him except to give biting answers to any questions he had, and though the others were sympathetic, they did not treat him much better, except Bofur, Fili, Kili, and Balin. At night he slept beside Bofur and sometimes Bifur or the Durin brothers, but something about Thorin's manner kept the others from accepting his requests to sleep beside them.

He grew more miserable but said nothing, never protested, until one night when Thorin saved his life and nearly died for it. Despite the roar of the storm around them, Bilbo clearly heard Thorin say, "He has no place amongst us," -- and it broke his heart. From day one he had been dragged into an adventure he clearly had no place in, but somehow along the way, he had come to believe that he was one of them, that he was part of their group despite being a different race and altogether a different person.

But Thorin's words struck deep. So, as they found shelter in a small cave and collapsed with exhaustion, Bilbo decided he would comply with Thorin's silent wish and leave. Bilbo asked no Dwarf to sleep beside him that night, choosing to sleep alone so that he may leave more easily. Sneaking out from the group of sleeping Dwarves was easy enough, with his silent Hobbit feet, and he felt a bit of pride at how silently he packed and tiptoed out.

Yet Bofur caught him as he met the cave entrance, and Bilbo's eyes closed in resignation. Out of all of the Dwarves, he liked Bofur the most, and it hurt that he would have to leave him. But Thorin was right -- he did not belong here, and he would never be one of them.

But oh, it hurt Bilbo fiercely when he said that Bofur could not understand his feelings about wanting to go home, and Bofur's face crumpled. He did not mean it -- it had slipped out -- yet in some part of him, he knew that he was right. The Dwarves did not have a true home as he did, but that did not mean he had to remind them of it, nor rub it in their faces out of anger. He tried to apologize, but the damage was done, and Bilbo felt the last bits of their friendship scatter to the wind.

"I wish you all the luck in the world," Bofur said softly, but then he smiled his great warm smile and reached out to grip Bilbo's shoulder. "I really do." 

Bilbo felt a bit of hope that maybe, their friendship wasn't complete destroyed. He tried to smile, but it hurt to leave Bofur, and it came out more as a grimace. Then he turned away and, with a heavy heart, set to leave.

Bofur's voice caught his attention once more, when he said, "What's that?" Bilbo turned back and followed Bofur's gaze to his hip, where he saw an odd glow in his little sword's sheath. His heart jumped to his throat, and he slowly pulled the Elvish sword out, staring in horror at the blue glow of the blade. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a strange sound from the ground, like sand seeping away -- and then it hit him, at the same time that Thorin jumped up and shouted, "Wake up!"

But it was too late. Bilbo barely had time to wonder how long Thorin had been awake before the ground fell from beneath them, and so began one of the worst nights of Bilbo's life.

~

Somehow they all survived. Somehow Bilbo did not die, torn apart by Orcs or eaten by a strange creature in a cave or ripped to pieces by a Warg. Instead he performed the most courageous act of his small Hobbit life and killed an Orc in one fell swoop. The moments were short when he leapt up from the burning tree and rushed to save Thorin, but as they flew away on the backs of giant Eagles, the moments stretched out in his mind, leaving him anxious and bewildered.

He had saved Thorin's life. He had murdered an Orc. Though it may have been to protect Thorin from certain death, it was still murder, and Bilbo's hands shook as he clung to the Eagle. Thorin had made him so angry -- doubting him as he had, shouting and grumbling and growling about how Bilbo had abandoned them, but then Bilbo had nearly done that very thing, before Orcs had taken them prisoner.

It was as he had promised Thorin, though -- he would help the Dwarves reclaim their home. Wandering through the lower caves, arguing with the strange Gollum creature and fleeing for his life -- he had remembered Bofur's face, his low words of, "We don't belong anywhere," coming back to him time and again. He wanted Bofur to say to him, "I'm going home," with that big smile of his. He wanted Thorin to stop staring into the distance just north of east. He wanted the Dwarves to have what he had: a warm hearth and a soft armchair, a place to call their own.

But only if Thorin lived. If Thorin died from his wounds -- Bilbo did not know what he would do. So he watched helplessly as Thorin's limp body dangled from wicked sharp claws that nonetheless never pierced him as the Warg's teeth had. When at last they were set down on a high crag on the edge of the Misty Mountains, he watched worriedly as Gandalf's hand brushed over Thorin's eyes.

Then Thorin woke, and the first words out of his mouth were, "The Halfling?"

Bilbo's heart leapt in that moment. Thorin was worried about him? But then Thorin stood, assisted by Dwalin and Kili, and looked straight at Bilbo and said, " _You._ What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!"

The smile died on Bilbo's lips. Just before the Orcs had attacked, Thorin had expressed his disappointment in Bilbo in a very definitive way, but Bilbo had hoped that maybe, he had proven himself when he had promised to help Thorin reclaim Erebor. The other Dwarves were silent as Thorin strode forward, his gaze fixed on Bilbo's.

"Did I not say you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you have no place amongst us?"

Every word Thorin said left another pang in Bilbo's heart. Thorin had been right -- he was a gentle Hobbit and he did not belong out here. He had believed that somehow, he might have earned a place amongst them, but even with his promise, even with his desire to stay beside them, even with everything they had been through together, it looked like he had been wrong.

So Bilbo gathered what was left of his Baggins dignity and met Thorin's gaze, even as he struggled not to cry, swallowing against the hot knot in his throat. Yet what Thorin did next shocked Bilbo to his core.

"I have never been so wrong in all my life," Thorin murmured and stepped forward, enveloping Bilbo in his warm arms. Bilbo felt a shiver of astonishment run all the way through his body, but after a moment he gladly wrapped his arms around Thorin's broad back, a smile appearing on his lips.

He would never forget this moment. To be accepted and embraced by a king, though a kingdom he did not yet have, by _Thorin_ of all people... this memory would burn in his heart for a very long time.

~

As Bilbo sank down against the wall of the cave they had located after some searching, he felt his very bones ache. Though he had expressed the fervent belief that the worst was behind them, he still felt the exhaustion of the past two months creeping up on him. They were all very tired, and though Gandalf had rejoined them -- which greatly relieved Bilbo -- they were without food, money, or any supplies at all.

Everybody had wounds that needed tending, Thorin most of all, though thankfully his wounds were not as great as everyone had believed, having worn some intricate chainmail that protected him but left horrible bruises instead of gaping holes in his body. Gandalf had spoken of a friend that lived nearby, but Thorin had wanted them to rest for a little while before they set out. They had been up all night, after all, and had participated in a great battle.

All Bilbo wanted to do was sleep. He was too tired, even, to seek someone out for a cuddle. He felt overwhelmed and stunned still, and images of the night spent fighting the Orcs and fleeing from Gollum flashed through his mind. He fingered the ring in his pocket for a moment, wondering about it, but he felt too tired to express any curiosity.

A shadow fell across his face, and he opened his eyes to see Thorin standing before him, looking solemn. It struck Bilbo that despite how used he was to Thorin's usual scowling and serious expressions, the face that stayed at the front of his thoughts was the smile that Thorin gave him just a short while ago, as they were standing on a crag looking upon the Lonely Mountain. With a faint blush, he gave Thorin a nod, wishing his improper thoughts would leave his mind.

"May I help you, Master Oakenshield?" he inquired, too weary to stand.

"Thorin," the tall Dwarf said quietly, and Bilbo's heart rate doubled. "If I may call you Bilbo."

"That would be alright, Thorin," he said after a moment, watching Thorin with interest. This was new. Thorin was not wearing his leathers, as Oin had declared that they would impede his healing for now, just as Bilbo had taken off his waistcoat to use as a pillow. "How may I help you?"

Thorin seemed to hesitate, but Bilbo waited, too curious about why Thorin would approach him like this, especially with the request of using his first name. Then he said something that made Bilbo's heart stop.

"I wonder if you would grant me the honor of staying beside me during our rest, Bilbo," Thorin said quietly, and Bilbo could only stare at him.

"Like... a cuddle?" he said dumbly, then flushed red when Thorin's expression softened with a faint smile.

"Just so," the tall Dwarf said, and Bilbo felt the red in his cheeks creep up to his ears. For a few moments, he could do nothing but flounder for a response, as not once before had any of the Dwarves requested a cuddle from him -- Fili and Kili had whined and sulked, and Bofur had left the space beside him open more than a few times, but never once had anyone _asked_ him to sleep beside them. Yet here was Thorin, their leader and _king_ , asking Bilbo for a cuddle.

 _Thorin._ Of all Dwarves.

Finally, his face burning as a bright feeling blossomed in his chest, Bilbo said quietly, "I would like that very much, Thorin." So Thorin went to gather his cloak and came back, spreading it on the floor beside Bilbo's ratty old coat, then lay down and beckoned Bilbo to him. Bilbo went, but as he lay down beside Thorin on the furred cloak, he noticed that the members of the Company who were still awake were staring at them. Fili and Kili's jaws were dropped, and Bofur had a peculiar look on his face. Oin was shaking his head, and Balin had a small smile on his face, while Ori's eyes were very wide.

But Bilbo only shrugged at them and curled up beside Thorin, who put an arm around him. He did not press too close to Thorin, as they were both bruised and battered, but he tucked his body against Thorin's side and let one hand curl into the silk of Thorin's blue shirt. Oh, this felt nice. Thorin smelled of stone and fire, and the heat of his body beside Bilbo's was very comforting after their chilling night. His eyelids grew heavy, but he listened to Thorin's breathing for a very long time, noting the hitches whenever Thorin shifted.

Yet at some point, Bilbo fell asleep, cuddled beside the future King under the Mountain, while Thorin kept an arm curled protectively around him.

When he woke next, he would be embarrassed to find all of the other Dwarves sitting and watching the two of them. He would endure teasing and questions for days afterwards, while Thorin stayed silent and ignored the rest of their Company's intent curiosity. He would not be lonely, though, nor would he be cold at night -- he had friends to stay beside, to cuddle with, and to keep the darkness at bay. And always, he would sleep well when he could, for there was nothing better for a good night's sleep than having a Dwarf to cuddle him close.


End file.
